Demon Princes of Titan
The Demon Princes of Titan are the mightiest demons of the Fighting Fantasy universe, who rule the Demonic Planes, and subsequently everything evil in the world of Titan. First come the superior Snake Demons, then their generals the Night Demons. While they directly appear in few gamebooks, they influence most of the series' villains and subsequently most evils plaguing the world of Titan. The more they are involved in a story, the darker it gets. Background Creation of the universe "In the beginning there was Arn and Arn was the beginning." From Arn came the three Primal Deities, Ashra, Vuh and Elim, who shaped the universe. Vuh created the Physical Planes, Ashra the Astral Planes and Elim the Magical Planes. However, Elim deemed the result flawed, wanting to erase it to start it anew, while Ashra was enthusiastic to push creation further and Vuh felt that things could not be judged until Life was put into motion. Ashra and Vuh gave birth to the Gods of Titan and Elim to the High Lords of Evil and Chaos, the Demon Gods Death, Disease and Decay from the very flaws he wanted to highlight, named after what the mortal races would come to regard as the worst scourges in existence after time was brought to the world. Then the world of Titan came into existence. While the Gods created the different living races, the Demon Gods stole some races from their creators, Orcs, Trolls, Goblins and Lizard-Men among others, and created the demon kind in "a cruel mockery of the creation of the lawful gods". The First Battle As creation flourished, the Demon Gods coveted it for themselves. Death captured Time after it was discovered by the God of Neutrality Loogan, and threatened to release its ageing power, unless the Gods relinquish the world of Titan to his kind. The Gods refused, leading to the cataclysmic First Battle. In spite of its name, the First Battle was a long war opposing the higher gods of the Celestial Court, the gods of the Animal Court, the Demi-Gods, the Dragons and the lawful mortal races; against the Demon Gods, the lesser Evil Gods, powerful Dark Beings (such as the Night Dragon, Voivod the Waster, the Black Gargoyle, the Primal Basilisk and the corrupt Spider God Arhallogen), the Demons and the evil mortal races. The forces of Evil tricked several neutral gods (such as the Wolf God Almor and the Goblin God Hashak) to fight by their side, corrupted some warriors of Good and created Undeath and Lycanthropy, but the forces of Good held their own and gave birth to powerful champions. The war ended after Death targetted the God King Titan with a dark bolt made from hatred and fear. The Earth Goddess Throff took the hit, causing considerable anger among the forces of Good which laid waste in the demonic armies. In retaliation, the Fertility Goddess Galana and the Sun Goddess Glantanka hurled a spear of divine energy towards Time, which was held captive by the mightiest demons. Time disintegrated, scattering its essence all over the Earthly Planes and giving birth to the Time God Chronada. The forces of Evil were eventually defeated. Fearing the unfathomable evil that the Demon Gods' execution would unleash, the Gods banished them into the Void, along with most of their followers. However, the current Demon Princes and others Dark Beings, but many of them were later sealed, leaving the Demon Princes in charge. The Old Time The Golden Age ended with the war. The Gods had to withdraw from Titan, the living creatures were now mortals and the prosperity of the four major races was lost forever. The Elves retreated to the forests, the Dwarves into the underground caves, the Giants were nearly wiped out and the great cities of Men were reduced to dust. The last two civilizations regressed heavily, most of the giant tribes being stuck into a nearly prehistoric lifestyle. Feeling betrayed by his brothers after the banishment of his kin, Elim sought to expand his cult worldwide, and entered open conflict against Ashra and Vuh, resulting in even more war and chaos between their followers, until the Gods exiled the Primal Deities and removed them from the memory of livings. Then came the Time of Heroes, during which the mortal races learnt to adapt to the now hostile world of Titan. The Demon Princes sought to take it over, leading to the sinking of Atlantis the only nation retaining its Golden Age glory. When King Faramos XXII died without known heir the empire suffered great troubles, until a 16-year-old distant relative was discovered and crowned under the name Faramos XXIII. However, this providential heir was in fact the Snake Demon Myurr, who assumed a human form after fabricating evidences of royal descent. Myurr had the once peaceful empire invade every neighboring kingdom, spreading destruction all over. By the time the Gods realized the king's true identity, they had no other choice than to sink the entire empire under the sea, splitting the original continent of Irritaria into what became the Old World, Allansia and Khul; unfortunately, not before Myurr could retreat to the Demonic Planes. After a long period of huge seismic and volcanic activity, the mortal races were once again left to cope with the new settings of the world to rebuild their civilizations for the third and last time. As centuries passed, the mortal races learnt to master Magic, leading to the rise in power of wizards. The Chaos Wars The last great catastrophe to befall on Titan was the discovery of the Dead City, a lost city from long before the splitting in which the high-king of the Brain-Slayers (horrors based on Dungeon&Dragons Illithids) had been imprisoned. After the Brain-Slayers' escape, Evil spread all over Titan, culminating into the Chaos Wars in which the forces of Evil gathered under the command of the Demon Princes to invade the world. In Khul, it resulted in the Great War against Evil and in Allansia in the War of the Wizards. These frightful conflicts scarred both continents permanently, shaping them into separated city states surrounded by hostile wilderness. In the Old World however, a ritual was performed that destroyed the forces of Evil before they could strike. Yet the entire land where it happened became a lawless wasteland where Chaos rules supreme, known as the Khakabad. This led to the New Age, referred to as After Chaos in the Titan timeline. Every gamebook and story set on Titan takes place during the New Age. The Demonic Planes The chaotic Magical Planes where the demons settled, also known as the Pit or the Abyss, it is reminiscent of the Seven Circles of Hell: Primus for the Demon Princes; Secundus for the powerful demon-individuals; Tertius for the "classical" Démons born from the corruption of an aspect of nature (Fire, ice, sea, rock, storm, smoke, brimstone, venom, moon, mirrors, and so many more); Quartus for the greater, sentient undeads; Quintus for the normal undeads; Sextus for the demonic animals; and finally Septimus for the the brainless, shapeless demonspawns. The Demon Princes' evil influence also spreads on nearby Spiritual, Elemental and Magical Planes, blighting them and corrupting them. This could explain the existence of elemental and spiritual demons. The Palace of Agony A gigantic, eldritch and inconceivable fortress, whose mere sight breaks mortals' mind, located in the Plane of Pain at the very heart of the Pit. The Palace of Agony is the base of operation of the Demon Princes (from which they observe the world of Titan through a misty pool) and the link between all Demonic Planes, as well as the others. There, the Demon Princes and their highest-ranked servants gather for unspeakably awful feasts, the demonic animals are breed, and the essence of the defeated demons returns to regenerate. The Plane of Steel The Plane ruled by the Snake Demon Sith; from her eldritch palace made of snake scales. It is there where the demons' weapons are forged, bewitched and made unique for their wielders. The Plane of Rust The Plane ruled by the Snake Demon Myurr; mostly populated by demons of withering and decay. The Plane of Ichor The Plane ruled by the Snake Demon Ishtra; named after the mystical substance that flows through every supernatural being and which quantity determinates their amount of power. The Plane of Blood The Plane ruled by the Night Demon Relem; made of a revolting combination of blood and vital fluids, which can be given a solid shape to create buildings such as Relem's horrendous palace. The Plane of Platinum The Plane ruled by the Night Demon Vradna; which lacks the foulness, destruction and decay of the other Demonic Planes yet is favored by many elemental demons. The Plane of Obsidian A very unstable Plane plagued by earthquakes, volcanoes and natural disasters; ruled by the Night Demon Kalin. The Plane of Bile The abhorrent Plane ruled by the Night Demon Shakor; mostly populated by plague-bringing demons. Others Several other Demonic Planes are mentioned throughout the series, such as the Plane of Pain in The Port of Peril, but they are never described in the guides, and little to nothing is known about them. The Demon Princes' evil influence also spreads on nearby Spiritual, Elemental and Magical Planes, blighting them and corrupting them. This could explain the existence of elemental and spiritual demons. About the Demon Princes The Demon Princes were once part of a legion of about 27 Snake Demons and 81 Night Demons, serving as the Demon Gods' generals, but the others were banished to the Void. There are other demons of similar rank but lesser influence, like Ulrakaah, the villainess of The Gates of Death, the Shadow King and Quezkari. Now they rule the Pit and want to create a portal between the Pit and the Earthly Planes: to terraform Titan into a dark wasteland where demons could flood in and rule supreme. The Demon Princes are manifestations of Evil that can assume any form they want. They are bound to the Pit but can manifest themselves in any other Plane. They cannot be killed and very few weapons can harm them. Should their earthly incarnation get destroyed by a hero, they would return to the Pit to slowly regenerate until they could start a new plan of action, though divine influence would usually prevent them from seeking revenge. Being of Demi-Gods status, they are worshipped by the evil races and corrupt people all over Titan. Most villains of each book serve their purpose, directly or not, even with plans of conquest of their own. Sometimes, they are even influenced by lesser demons working for them: Zanbar Bone's parents led a cult dedicated to Myurr, leading the Snake Demon to claim his soul and grant him huge demonic powers, which he used to become one of the greatest blights to ever plague Allansia. Worshipping the Demon Princes turned Belgaroth into the most fearsome Chaos Lord ever seen on the Old World since Voivod himself. It was an Ice Demon who made the innocent Shareella the dreaded Snow Witch. Oldoran Zagor and Zharradan Marr (and according to some sources Balthus Dire as well) are rumored to be half-demons. The Archmage of Mampang transforms into a Netherworld Demon during the final confrontation of The Crown of Kings, implying a pact or a possession. The Shadow Demon Agglax, the villain of Armies of Death, is a servant of the Demon Princes seeking to conquer the world on their behalf. Finally Ikiru, the villain of Sword of the Samurai, is a demon seeking to unleash chaos on the continent of Khul. The Snake Demons The three highest-ranking Demon Princes, whose title stems more from Sith's fondness for snakes than from their reptilian features. While horribly cruel and unforgiving to their servants, enslaving them with dark influence and Black Magic, they are even worse to the mortal races that they yearn to enslave or wipe out. They share the same goal, but are in constant competition and always seek to gain dominion over the others. Sith The only female Demon Prince, should gender ever apply to such beings. She was known as Sithera the Goddess of Evil in the pantheon of the Ancient Egypt-like country of Djarat, before the splitting of Irritaria. Sith normally appears as a gigantic four-armed woman with the head of a cobra, wearing black gowns and a necklace made of thirteen human skulls. She has corrupted the Immortal Python Sussussur, child of the neutral Snake Goddess Vermistra, into her familiar. Sith is the most influent Snake Demon in the Pit, as she commands the Night Demons Relem and Vradna, but has much less influence on Titan. She is most active in Allansia, especially in the very dangerous Desert of Skulls. She created the Caarth race and other snake-humanoids by blending snakes and humans together. She might also be linked to Venom Demons. Sith is the cruellest Demon Prince. She revels in human sacrifices, not out of need but out of perverse joy. She never leaves the Pit and rarely involves herself directly, preferring to act through her followers. Sith never appears in person in gamebooks, though she makes her influence felt in those whose villains work for her. Myurr The most intelligent Demon Prince, Myurr is feared for his diabolical schemes. He is regal and imposing, yet menacing and vindictive. He loathes opposition and enjoys gloating at the hapless foe he just trapped. He is constantly plotting and mostly acts by infiltrating factions under a human aspect to manipulate them and spread chaos. He also frequently uses his human aspects to tempt or corrupt people; and builds awful artefacts that wither the land. He can amplify the malevolence in people's hearts by looking them in the eye. Myurr is the most active in the Earthly Plane, and he concentrates his actions in the Old World, where he built himself a castle. He usually appears as an enormous four-armed, snake-headed and bat-winged demon. He also appears as a gigantic toad, or as an innocent-looking teenager (to better fool his victims). Myurr is worshipped by the dark elves, whose rulers, such as the Dark Elf Sorcerer, the villain of Siege of Sardath, are his directs servants. Malbordus, the villain of Temple of Terror, was raised within the subterranean Dark Elven city of Tìranduil Kelthas by a priestess of Myurr. Ishtra Ishtra most often appears as a towering bipedal crocodile with the head of a goat, entirely covered in green fire. He can also appear as a giant, two-headed lizard-man wielding a flaming sword, or as a huge, intense energy ball radiating sparks all around. Ishtra is most active on the Earthly Planes, especially in the continent of Khul. The most warmongering Demon Prince, Ishtra is violent and bloodthirsty, and mostly rules his servants through fear. He is equally active in both planes. He strives to gain control over the forces of nature and most forms of magic. Ishtra uses green fire as his primary weapon and influences the Dream Realm, in which he commands Morpheus, the Lord of Nightmares. Ishtra stole the Lizard Men race from the Lizard God Suthis Sha during the First Battle. As such, he is the indirect ruler of sorts of the Lizard Man Empire, in turn the main threat of Battleblade Warrior. The Lizard King, the titular villain of Island of the Lizard King is also his servant. He commands many evil mages, having a hand in the resurrection of the wicked wizard Shanzikuul, villain of the gamebook Master of Chaos who served under him during the Chaos Wars; as well as the return of the archmage Xakhaz. The witch Morgana, the villainess of Masks of Mayhem, and the warlock Jaxartes, the villain of Fangs of Fury, were also stated to be is servants. The Night Demons The second tier of the Demon Princes. They are four-meter-tall, red-colored muscular humanoids, with two black, draconic heads and leathery wings. (While Relem looks like this, whether they all do is unclear.) They serve as the tacticians of the demon kind and keep watching over Titan to plan their course of action. Relem One of Sith's two lieutenants and the only Night Demon featured in a gamebook. He is a clever and cunning manipulator, and a blood-thirsty sadist, who uses lightning as his main weapon and masters Blood Magic. Vradna The second lieutenant of Sith, and bitter rival of Relem. He became the master of the gargoyles following the Black Gargoyle's demise during the First Battle. Kalin Kalin is the only Night Demon with no known master, though it is implied that he serves Myurr. There is little to nothing else known about him. Shakor Ishtra's lieutenant. Like Kalin, he is not mentioned often and largely unknown. The Kurakil Although not exactly a Demon Prince, the Kurakil, also called Miphreas the Soul Destroyer and the Infernal Beast, is of the same rank and influence. He and the equally powerful demons Rivel and Akragog were ordered by Death to keep Time hostage in the First Battle. He seems to be the only one who has escaped banishment in the Void, but he got trapped inside the bewitched Casket of Shadows in the aftermath of the Chaos Wars, by the hero Enthus the Martyr. He appears as a five-meter-tall scaly demon with large leathery wings, a horned wolf-like head, a dragon-like tail and the legs of a goat. Little is known about his personality, but he clearly is as cruel, relentless and sadistic as the others, and even more destructive since he spent most of his time on the Earthly Planes rampaging wherever he could reach. Zanbar Bone The aforementioned Zanbar Bone is revealed in The Port of Peril to always resurrect more powerful and evil than before. Case in point, he reaches the rank of Demon Prince after reviving. Yet, whether he became a Snake Demon, a Night Demon, or a different rank altogether is not specified. Notable Servants The Demon Princes have many agents on the Earthly Planes, acting in their stead to further their goals. Either evil cultists worshipping them, obeying them out of fanatical devotion; or wicked mages having made a pact with them for more power, usually expecting a reward without realizing that they are pawns to use and discard. Akharis The primary villain and final enemy of Curse of the Mummy, whose name is based on Kharis from the Hammer horror movies The Hand of the Mummy. Once the last pharaoh of the country of Djarat, he was a cruel and heartless tyrant reviled by all. He was a fanatical worshipper of Sith, under her guise of Sithera the Goddess of Evil, and created the Cult of the Cobra in her honor, sacrificing countless of his subjects to her. He died at over 150 years old, poisoned by his enemies, and wowing that he would return and curse the entire world. He was mummified and buried with his treasure by his cultists in a secret place. The High Priestess of Sithera The central villain of the same gamebook, whose name is never revealed. She restarted the Cult of the Cobra and is looking for Akharis' tomb, in order to resurrect his mummy and bring about his curse in Sithera's name. The High Priestess dresses in Djaratian fashion and might be of Djaratian descent. She is young, beautiful and regal, but cold, fanatical and hateful. She never deigns speaking to foes, unless at her mercy to gloat, and cares more about failing her idol than she fears death. (Though she might fear her wrath.) She is frail, yet a skilled fighter and an expert in magic and rituals of vast dark powers, who created a battalion of mummies to protect herself. Magrand An evil necromancer worshipper of Myurr and a minor villain in Dead of Night. Magrand lives in an abandoned mill that only stands through his dark magic, in a desolate bog in which he hides the hordes of zombies he creates for his liege. Magrand pays a crooked innkeeper to drug people to sleep and give them to a black-robed orc who brings them to him as guinea-pigs for his necromancy. He is feared and reviled, with the mere mention of looking for him being enough to risk the villagers' wrath. Magrand is very powerful, but is too frail and lacks battle spells and to match seasoned warriors. He is stern and poised but vile, hateful and vindictive. Oddly enough, he is the only wizard in the series obeying a Demon Prince out of devotion instead of ambition. As such, Myurr values him enough to have him resurrected as an Abomination; arguably the most formidable type of undead, that can only be raised with the power of a Demon Prince and is described as a dire threat to an entire country on its own. Morpheus Likely Ishtra's top vassal after the Night Demon Shakor, Morpheus rules the Necrotic Wilderness of Q'yann: a netherland in the Plane of Ichor used as a source of powers by necromancers. Morpheus is the source of nightmares. An eldritch, shapeless and contorting mass of nightmare, who cannot manifest on the Physical Planes but roams the Dream Realm. He can be defeated, but never killed as even bad dreams are an essential part of the Spirit Planes. Zeverin The central villain of Tower of Destruction, and one whom the hero sets out to defeat for revenge. Zeverin has lived many lives, each mightier and eviler. He studied under the elf mages of the legendary Ice Palace, but killed them and cursed their souls. He made a pact with Relem, likely the source of his might and his several lives, to build a magical weapon. Zeverin is an expert of magical theory, but awfully selfish, narcissistic, delusional, unhinged and demented. He kills thousands without a care, but is affronted that a survivor could rise against him to demand justice. He is persuaded that Relem will make him his right-hand, will anyone can see that he will be disposed of as soon as convenient. Nazek The main villain and final enemy of Spellbreaker. Once an orphan abandoned near Rassin Abbey and raised by the monks, he showed vast magic potential but a worrying inclination for evil. He disappeared at age twelve and raised a secret society of evil mages called the Midnight Cauldron, and spread its influence. He covets the Black Grimoire, an indestructible tome containing the worst secrets of Dark Magic, hidden in the abbey he grew up in. Nazek worships the evil Goddess of Sorcery Shekka. He is young, but horribly warped by Dark Magic. He is very intelligent, cunning and crafty, and always speaks with a veneer of courtesy, but he is hateful, cruel, and power-hungry. He wants to free the Kurakil, but plans to use the Black Grimoire to even the fields and not be treated as a disposable pawn. If he were to learn all its secrets, he could take over Titan even without the Demon Princes. Gamebooks featuring a Demon Prince ''Curse of the Mummy'' The playable character is recruited by the archaeologist Jerran Farr to prevent the Cult of the Cobra, worshippers of Sithera, from reaching the recently discovered tomb of the evil pharaoh Akharis. If he returns, his curse will turn Allansia into a plague-ridden desert swarmed by snakes and scorpions. Despite never appearing in person, Sith is the de facto main villain of the gamebook, as she directly influences the Cult of the Cobra. Akharis himself only serves as the final enemy, while the High Priestess directs the cult's actions. The gamebook figures a score of Poison that must not reach 18, otherwise the game is over. The story begins in the Desert of Skulls in the search for the tomb, but alas Jerran Farr does not survive for long. The hero must seek the help of the shaman Lopar, before entering Akharis' tomb. Said tomb is full of dangerous traps and monsters, including Sith's mighty Caarth servants. The ghost of Rhehothep, the tomb's architect, can provide valuable information, but Akharis' loyal Vizier Amentut was buried there and protects his liege's treasure. *Amentut's mummy poses little threat. He has only 7 in skill (power level) and 7 in stamina (life-points), but should he strike the hero, he might age them at contact and weaken them while draining their stamina. If the hero can answer the riddle of a Sphinx, they learn that the cultists found Akharis' mummy and brought it to the Temple of Sithera. Before heading towards the temple, they can visit the necropolis and meet the ghost of Princess Nemset, to win useful artefacts if they win her challenge. In the temple, the hero gets captured by the cult, as the High Priestess plans to use their life-force to resurrect Akharis. They must free themselves and directly confront the High Priestess. Unfortunately, when she is killed, Sith intervenes and revives Akharis herself. *The High Priestess is protected by mummies that can be destroyed with charms and fire, and must be dealt with before they overwhelm the hero. Wearing a Malachite Amulet compels them to obey her and they get killed. *The hero needs a Falcon Breastplate to conjure a falcon spirit and destroy the demonic spirit she summons, or get mauled to death. They next need an Eye Amulet to resist her strength-draining gaze. If they lack the amulet, they can test their luck to survive, but lose 2 in skill and 6 in stamina, severely weakening them for the very hard upcoming battles. Failing the test of luck means instant death. *The High Priestess is a dangerous enemy with 9 in skill and 7 in stamina, who attacks with her animated cobra-staff. Each blow she deals adds 1 point to the hero's poison score in addition to the wounds inflicted. The Final Battle Akharis is a very powerful and dangerous enemy with 13 in skill (1 point over the normal maximum) and 25 in stamina, who fights bare-handed. Fire and spells are useless and lead to a painful counterattack. Also, using the (cursed) Iron Wand grants him 1 skill point and 3 stamina points. Smashing the jars containing Akharis' organs costs him 1 in stamina each and 1 in skill for each pair; and dousing him with the Waters of Life costs him a dice roll worth of stamina. Trying to destroy his sarcophagus costs him 6 in stamina, and trying to remove his Death Mask costs him 1 in skill and 2 in stamina, but such attempts prove dangerous. The hero must plan carefully to deal as much damage as possible. Sith animates the statue in her likeness, crushing the hero to death if they lack an Ankh, before reviving Akharis again, this time with only 8 in skill and 10 in stamina. If the battle lasts over five attack rounds, the hero dies under the rubbles of the collapsing temple. When Akharis' stamina drops to 4, the hero pushes him in the magic fires and destroys him for good. Finally, the hero must use a crystal ball to contact the shaman Lopar, who teleports them to safety, to rest safely before enjoying their victory and the treasures they could scavenge. Dead of Night Dead of Night is a horror-themed gamebook, providing the playable character with a background and a family. After a demon killed their brother, they became a powerful Holy Knight known in the country of Gallantaria in the Old World as the Demon-Stalker. They thwarted Myurr's latest schemes and even exposed Myurr himself, when he impersonated a king's advisor to drive him mad, earning the Demon Prince's staunch hatred. The quest begins when Myurr appears in their dream and shows that he abducted their parents, prompting them into action. There are three special skills available among Heal, Banish Undead, Meditation, Sense Demon, Speak Demon, Holy Circle and (the evil) Dark Veil. Also, a score of Evil measures bad deeds and must not be raised. Upon reaching their hometown, the Demon Stalker discovers that Myurr sent two Blight Demons shape-shifted as their parents to fake their death and cover up their abduction. They plague the village from the grave, (triggering the villagers' resentment against the Demon Stalker for bringing the demon's wrath upon them). They must be destroyed with the priest's help, but doing so leaves a "clue", made to lead the Stalker into a dangerous trap. The Demon Stalker can visit their friend Sharleena the seer for information, but she risks getting killed by a demon. (Her ghost might visit them later to warning them, even if they did not see her.) They later realizes that Myurr's demonic forces are plaguing Gallantaria, and must protect peasants, such as when a young student risks rising from the dead as a vampire, when a town is invaded by gargoyle-like Moon Demons, or when undead warriors are attacking a farm. Beware of the plague Myurr caused, for coming across it means catching it and dying soon after. They must track down the necromancer Magrand. The best way to do it is to unveil the innkeeper Kremper's abductions for him and follow his envoy. *Magrand has only 6 in skill and 6 in stamina. If not taken by surprises, his curse might drain the hero's skill and stamina until they win a test of luck Later, the Demon Stalker runs into a Moon Demon Mage, performing a ritual to raise Magrand as an undead Abomination. If the ritual cannot be prevented, the Abomination must be fought, but Myurr might raise him by himself. *Magrand-the-Abomination first has 6 in skill and 13 in stamina but after two attack rounds his skill increases to 10 and his stamina is restored, making him a powerful and dangerous enemy. All the more so in that he can kill the Demon Stalker outright, should he gather enough attack strength! The Demon Stalker might enter a Land-Blight (a demonic, organic building warping the land) to free the captive inside and destroy its Dark Stone core with a highly dangerous Dark Spell. They might also enter a destroyed village and fight a Baleful Eye: a demonic eye whose stare can damn souls, reminiscent of Sauron of Mordor. The Demon Stalker can meet the mysterious stranger called Samatz, who helps them reveal the truth to one of the Netherworld Sorcerers: the Guardians of Neutrality that Myurr tricked into siding with him, making them believe that Good threatens the balance with too much influence. In turn, the Sorcerer grants them the Demon-Slayer sword, the only blade able to harm a Demon Prince, and teleport them to Myurr's tower in the Cragrock Peaks. Beware the powerful Great Demon with 11 in skill and 18 stamina lurking there. Right before entering the tower, the Demon Stalker must wipe off the inscription; lest they get magically robbed of the weapons that can harm Myurr. The tower itself is full of annoying mazes and deadly traps, thus reaching the throne room is risky. Facing Myurr The gloating Snake Demon reveals that he set everything to lure the Demon Stalker there. Indeed, he plans to combine their soul, their parents' life-force and the Netherworld Sorcerers' magic, to open a gate between the Physical Plane and the Pit and take over both. Using the Dark Veil now causes a game over, since casting evil magic against a Demon Prince corrupts the caster into his slave. Myurr is a highly powerful and dangerous foe with 14 in skill and 25 in stamina, who uses his four clawed arms to strike twice in a row, as if the Stalker was fighting two equally powerful foes. They can choose between three tactics when winning an attack round. *'Regular Battle': Only the Demon-Slayer sword can harm Myurr, and its power-boost is the only way to match his might. *'Holy Water': Should the Stalker win a skill test, Myurr loses the result of a dice-roll in stamina. Yet, it only makes the battle easier since they have not enough holy water to take Myurr down. *'Search for the Jewel': The safest way to win is to break the magic jewel sustaining his physical incarnation, hidden among corrupted Netherworld Sorcerers' relics. Breaking the wrong item only makes Myurr strike harder or kick the Stalker against a wall, costing 2 to 5 in stamina. They must target the pyramid of bones and win a test of Evil to resist Myurr's corrupting gaze. Losing results in a game over in which the Stalker becomes his slave and general. Destroying the jewel banishes the Demon Prince. However, without the Demon-Slayer sword or a holy ring, the Stalker loses a great deal of stamina and might die in the resulting blast. With Myurr sent back into the Pit, vainly threatening vengeance, and with the Netherworld Sorcerers vanishing into nothing, the Demon Stalker is reunited with their overjoyed parents at long last. The population of the land rushes in, celebrating the hero who cleansed Gallantaria of the demonic blight. ''Phantoms of Fear'' The playable character is a young elf known as the Eldenurin (Defender Shaman). As Ishtra is gathering every evil creature in the continent of Khul under his command to start a second Chaos War, the Fertility Goddess Galana tasks them to rise against the Snake Prince. The Eldenurin has a Power score, in order to cast spells and to venture into the Dream Realm when asleep. They can cast spells of Invisibility, Illusion, Levitation, Weakening, Detection and Fire, but must use them wisely, as they need to raise their Power total to the maximum to face Ishtra on equal footing. The Eldenurin discovers that Ishtra's corrupting influence is warping and withering the sacred Forest of Affen and the Dream Realm, as the Demon Prince is using the Dream Realm as an asset. The Dream Realm is a reflection of sort of the real world, prompting the Eldenurin to regularly jump from one to another to overcome obstacles. Fighting monsters in the Dream Realm involves dice rolls and random, which can easily cause trouble, but dying there is impossible. They might get visited and advised in a dream by the Legendary Mage Gereth Yaztromo. They will have to face the Demon Prince's servants and the dangerous monsters born from his experiments. If they can lift the curse keeping the warrior Eric Rune-Axe in a berserker state, he will make a precious ally. They must search everywhere for magical relics needed to defeat Ishtra, and to gather information about how to use them. Upon reaching Ishtra's hideout, the Eldenurin must answer the riddle of a Crio-Sphynx, then disguise as a Dark Elf. In it, his demonic influence prevents them from spellcasting, but they can enter the Dream Realm while awake. They eventually come across the nightmare where reigns Ishtra's right-hand, Morpheus the Lord of Nightmares. *Morpheus spawns three powerful dream monsters to fight. Contrary to the dream monsters, the Eldenurin fights Morpheus for real, using their Power score instead of stamina, and he can kill them for good. With 8 in skill and 20 in Morpheus is not much of a threat, but he must not be finished off, for it destroys the dream they are in and them with it. He must be left him alive but unable to fight. Defeating him restores the Power score. Facing Ishtra Ishtra is fought right after Morpheus. He can either be faces in the Dream Realm or in the Physical Plane. If the Eldenurin wears a green pendant, Ishtra devours their soul and makes them his undead servant without resistance. *'Battle in the Dream Realm': Ishtra fights like Morpheus did, with 10 in skill and 21 in power. While powerful, he has a surprisingly low skill total for a demon of his rank but he compensates with his vast Power score, which must be surpassed. With less than 22 points of Power, the Eldenurin is sent back to the Physical Plane. *'Battle in the Physical Plane': Ishtra can only be defeated with six relics filled with the power of nature: a deer's antler and a crystal ball representing wind, an amber and a branch representing fire, and an icicle and a bowl representing water. Should the Eldenurin lack one relic, place them in the wrong combination, or lack enough Power for the ritual, Ishtra incinerates them with green fire. But if every condition is met, the relics generate a powerful force field and destroy the Demon Prince's earthly avatar. With Ishtra banished back to the Pit, his decapitated army will destroy itself due to infighting, leaving the Eldenurin to escape his lair and return home, celebrating their victory and working with their people to heal the forest. ''Tower of Destruction'' The story starts when the playable character returns to their hometown in the cold northern regions of Allansia, only to witness a gigantic, flying Sphere of Destruction burning it to the ground. So begins a quest to track down the Sphere and those behind it. The game features an Honour score which must be raised to the highest possible number and a rule of Time Elapsed, counting the days spent in the track. The hero must save fellow villagers from the fiery wreckage, before departing to follow and destroy the Sphere and those behind it. Help and intel can be gained from a dying hermit, a tribe of barbarians, and an Ice Drake (small dragon) if bribed with a meal. The hero learns that the Sphere is the doing of an evil wizard. They find it on the ground after fighting the demons and ice zombies sent by the wizard. They enter the Sphere and face the wizard (later revealed to be a weaker projection) and Dazrakk, his man-orc bodyguard. *Dazrakk is a powerful enemy with 10 in skill and 10 in stamina. After three attack rounds, the wizard starts firing magic arrows that deal 2 points of additional damage per turn. *Then, they face the dagger-wielding wizard, who with 8 in skill and 8 in stamina is much easier to defeat. *Instead of fighting both foes head on, the hero can target the jewel projecting the wizard's double, by winning a test of skill. Succeeding dispels the projection, leaving only Dazrakk as a threat, but leaves them open for an attack. With both enemies gone, the hero can take Dazrakk's powerful magic scimitar, before destroying the Sphere from the inside. When escaping the blast, they rescue Aliades, a former apprentice of the wizard who was jailed after trying to stop him. He reveals that the Sphere was but a first try, with Zeverin, the wizard, already working on a far more lethal Tower of Destruction. It appears that Zeverin is but a puppet and a smoke-screen for Relem, the true villain. The Night Demon wants to use the destruction unleashed by the tower to open a gate between the Pit and the Physical Planes, clearly intending to dispose of Zeverin as soon as he outlives his usefulness. After Aliades is killed by Zeverin's curse of rapid aging, the hero travels through the Icefinger Mountains to Ice Palace where Zeverin learnt magic. It is now a mausoleum for the Elf Mages who dwell there as ghosts, many of them needing to be freed from Zeverin's curse. The hero must fight the Dark Elves sent by Zeverin to ransack the place, including their powerful leader, and search for several priceless relics, including an Ice Bird and an Ice Sword. They must also meet the ghost of two Elf Mages: Tassakil, who can reactivate and increase the Ice Sword's power, and the Archmage Elokinan, whose magical chalice grants a power-up depending on how high is their honour total. With the elf mages in peace, the hero needs a flying potion or a winged statue to enter the completed Tower of Destruction before it destroys the Ice Palace. They must also avoid the guards at the entrance, preferably with an invisibility potion, and fight their way to its core. The deadliest obstacle is a powerful giant golem with 11 in skill and 16 in stamina, but the hero can harm with magic arrows before fighting. Facing Zeverin Zeverin casts a lighting spell costing 5 in stamina if not dodged. He can be weakened through several means before the actual battle. A Wand of Cold costs him 8 in stamina and successful shot with magic arrows cost him 4. But if he gains the advantage or is struck with a normal arrow, his spell that costs 3 in stamina (and sometimes 1 in skill as well). Using both weapons can kill Zeverin outright, or severely wounding and making the battle easier, which is strongly advised considering the upcoming confrontation with Relem. Zeverin is a powerful enemy and a surprisingly talented swordsman with 10 in skill and 13 in stamina. Without using a flying potion to reach him as he levitates, he cast spells costing 5 in stamina before fighting. Facing Relem The Demon Prince is fought right after Zeverin. He first blasts the hero with lightning. Without the activated Ice Sword and the Ice Shield, the first to blasts cost 4 in stamina. With the Magic Ring, the third blast costs 1 dice roll worth of stamina instead of 2. Then, the hero can distract Relem with an Ice Bird, in order to heal before the fight. Relem is a highly powerful and dangerous foe with 14 in skill and 25 in stamina, whose claws cost 3 in stamina instead of 2. The Ice Sword is the only way to stand a chance, but if it was enchanted to fight demons, it grants a bigger power-up and each strike costs him 3 in stamina. A Speed Potion enables the hero to strike up to twice for the first three turns. Should their stamina drop below 6 but they wounded him with the Ice Sword, a mysterious ghostly figure boosts their power for three turns. Aftermath After defeating Relem, the hero must make a perilous escape from the collapsing tower, braving fire and dying if their luck score is too low. They might fight one of Zeverin's servants making an escape, to grab one of the magic harness and reach the ground safely. Then, Zeverin of all people attacks them! (Likely using another double or being revived by Relem as a vengeance.) Without the Ice Sword, their life ends in a giant energy ball. With it, quite a given after the final battle, Elokinan appears to banish the demented wizard once and for all. He then casts a spell to protect the hero from Relem's wrath, giving them his blessing and departing to the afterlife, leaving them to enjoy their victory with the hospitality of a friendly local. SpellBreaker The story begins during a dark and stormy night, when the playable character (known in canon as the Spellbreaker) befriends a hooded stranger, who suggests taking shelter in the nearby Rassin Abbey, which they do. Alas, the stranger is in fact the warlock Nazek, who tricked them to sneak in the abbey, in which no evil can enter uninvited. Nazek steals the fabled Black Grimoire, leaving the Spellbreaker only four days to track him down before the night of Shekka's Moon, in which the Goddess of Sorcery Shekka expands her power over Titan. Indeed, this is the only time when the Kurakil can be freed from the Casket of Shadows. The gamebook in itself is very hard, full of dangerous battles, complicated riddles and a lot of mandatory items. It features a score of Faith which must be raised to the highest possible number, to guard the Spellbreaker against evil, and a score of Infection which must be kept very low, to measure vulnerability to plague when exposed. In the beginning of their quest, the Spellbreaker must save the town of Aryll from plague-bringing rats and slay the monster responsible of the plague to get cured as well. *The plague-bringing Canker has only 8 in skill and 12 in stamina, and can be weakened with fire, but it must be destroyed before its plague-zombie guards can interrupt the fight. Then, the Spellbreaker must travel places blighted by evil, and visit the vaults of two ancient heroes. Including Enthus the Martyr, whom they must meet through the Veil after destroying the evil spirit possessing his remains. They might also confront a dangerous Dread Demon, and save an innocent girl from being burned at the stake by an Inquisitor, possessed by a powerful demon with 11 in skill and 12 in stamina that can be banished. The Spellbreaker must search for the powerful Holy Sword Deliverer, the only weapon that can harm the Kurakil. It was stolen by the local thieves, whose leader called "the Mask" was fought in a skirmish at the start of the quest. The Spellbreaker must sneak into the thieves' camp and kill "the Mask" to settle their score and get the sword. *"The Mask" is a powerful enemy with 11 in skill and 12 in stamina, but he fortunately lacks special abilities. Finally, the Spellbreaker must capture Mistress Crowfoot, a witch following Nazek. They must enter her cursed cottage, unveil her disguise and slay her crow with a hawk; to learn more about the Midnight Cauldron. They must later ally with the benevolent secret society opposing Nazek, to storm the ruins of the monastery where the warlock is leading the ritual to open the Casket of Shadows. Without their help they stand no chance. All this before the Kurakil is released and devastates Titan. The Final Battle The Spellbreaker and their associates must engage the battle immediately, the associates dealing with the coven and the Spellbreaker fighting their way towards Nazek, who just unleashed the Infernal Beast. They must close the Casket of Shadows with a spell taken from a page of the Black Grimoire; lest the other demons trapped inside escape and seal their doom. Using an item against the Kurakil is useless and might render them vulnerable to Nazek's deadly aging curse. The Kurakil is a very powerful enemy with 12 in skill and 18 in stamina. He fights with his claws and swipes his tail every attack round, costing 2 in stamina point of additional damage 2 in 6 times, no matter the outcome. After banishing the fearsome demon, the Spellbreaker needs a Venom's Bane potion to survive the deadly spiders summoned by Nazek. While nowhere as dangerous as the Kurakil, the warlock has 10 in skill and 9 in stamina, which is no laughing matter, and he takes advantage from the Spellbreaker's weakened state after the previous battle. When his stamina drops under 2, the Spellbreaker must win a difficult test of faith to finish him off, or get fully corrupted by the evil power spread by the night of Shekka's Moon. With Nazek and his followers dead and gone, and the Kurakil banished to the Pit, the Spellbreaker brings back the Black Grimoire to Rassin Abbey to be sealed away forever, before celebrating their victory like the hero that they are. 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